âThe best day of my year was always the day after the season when we landed in Whitefish and I could feel myself exhale. Like the pressure was lifted off my shoulders - a physical feeling when we would get into Whitefish. I always looked forward to that day every year and it never let me down. The worst day of my year was always that last day of my summer. I would sit on the dock at my house on Whitefish Lake with my legs dangling in the water before I would fly back on the plane to training camp,â - Drew Bledsoe, from the âDrew Bledsoe and the Art of Footballâ interview in the inaugural issue of âThe Whitefish Reviewâ

Ah yes... the great Brady/Bledsoe wars of 2001-2003. I am a proud, founding member of Brady's Ladies... of course, the Bledsoe Krishnas are simply nowhere to be found to this very day... probably sitting at home wearing a Buffalo Bills #11 jersey wondering how it all went so wrong so fast...

"I stand by my statement: Tom Brady is playing better over these past 9 games than Drew Bledsoe has in any of his 9 NFL seasons. Stick with the hot hand." - QuiGon, November 30, 2001.

"and as I have often pointed out, I look at record more than I look at rating. 6-3 versus 5-13. That ain't a QB controversy, that's a QB no brainer." - QuiGon, December 2, 2001.

"BRADY IS GOD. come on aboard..!! all you former Bledsoe abckers that talked about how
Brady couldn't do anything without a running game... come on aboard the Brady bandwagon..!! 7-3 and counting...!!" - QuiGon, December 2, 2001.

There's no need to come down on Drew. Football wasn't his passion. We all knew that. That didn't stop him from putting up some great seasons in NE and leading the team to a superbowl. I'm glad for him and hope he enjoys his retirement.

There's no need to come down on Drew. Football wasn't his passion. We all knew that. That didn't stop him from putting up some great seasons in NE and leading the team to a superbowl. I'm glad for him and hope he enjoys his retirement.

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He did like diving into moshpits......during the season......
Everybody has their priorities and we can't fault anyone for theirs....

Lay off Drew. He was a good Patriot. He helped save this franchise from moving to St. Louis. He brought respectability back to the franchise and put them on a path to success. We all know his flaws, and he would drive me crazy with that worse Ints at the absolutley worse times, but I will always appreciate what he did for this franchise.

Lay off Drew. He was a good Patriot. He helped save this franchise from moving to St. Louis. He brought respectability back to the franchise and put them on a path to success. We all know his flaws, and he would drive me crazy with that worse Ints at the absolutley worse times, but I will always appreciate what he did for this franchise.

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See, this is the sort of logic I never understood from the Bledsoe-Krishnas. Anyone that dares utter one single negative word about Bledsoe and all of a sudden it's "Law off Drew" and "Don't be so hard on Drew"

The article is a very fair minded and accurate description of Drew Bledsoe. If anything, it is a bit generous as it glosses over some of the things that allegedly took place behind closed doors.

I've always said Bledsoe was a victim of his own incredible talent. He never had to work hard to excel in high school or college. It just all came so naturally for him, so he never developed a good work habit. He could be the most purely talented quarterback ever... but his lack of passion and work ethic stopped him from entering the realm now inhabited by the likes of Montana, Favre, Elway, Aikman and Brady.

For someone who did not care all that much about this sport, remember hearing that he has made more money from football than anyone else, imagine if he really cared about the game more than Whitefish??

I always liked Drew, but one thing really stands out in retrospect: He was good at and enjoyed "playing" football, but never was fiercely dedicated to "working" himself into being the best. For him it was a job, not a passion. You could sense that his enthusiasm was forced and didn't come from the heart much of the time. On the field, his repeated mistakes year after year -- throwing game-killing interceptions into the flat, holding the ball too long, etc. -- indicated an over-reliance on his rifle arm and a stubborn unwillingness to grow/adjust his game.

All that said, he had some true bright spots here through the Tuna and Carroll regimes. I was glad to be on hand for most of them. The guy sure could zip the ball in there when he was "on."

I guess its easy to pile on Drew based on the information gleaned from this article. We always questioned his commitment to the game, especially when you compare it to the monomania of a Tom Brady.

However I often wonder if history might have been different if Drew had ever had the good fortune to play in the SAME offensive system his entire career. Both Manning and Brady have had the luxury being in the same system, using the same semantics, running the same plays over and over again for years.

Compare that what Bledsoe faced after Parcells left. For the rest of his career, IIRC, Bledsoe NEVER ran the same offensive system 3 years in a row. Almost every other year he had to go through different OC's or systems. Litterally by the time BB became the HC, Bledsoe had been through 3 DIFFERENT OC's from 1995-2000. Then BB comes in and there is another drastic change in offensive philosophy. One that directly emphasized skills that Bledsoe just didn't have. He was doomed.

I just wonder if the attitude Bledsoe showed in this article wasn't fostered to some degree by the frustrations of having to learn new offensive systems virtually every other year for what SHOULD have been the prime of his career.

BOTTOM LINE is that Bledsoe gave the Pats true value for their investment in him. He was tough to the point of courageousness. He always gave his best, and he helped bring this franchise back from laughability to respect. Bellichick and Brady then took it to the next level...greatness.

But just because, for a number of reasons, Bledsoe ended up being a very good NFL QB, but with flaws in his game, we shouldn't minimize Bledsoe's important contribution to Patriots history.

Pathetic.........BB knew and thats why "Deadslow" was gonzo. I saw an interview with Curtis Martin bascially saying the same thing. He said he isn't even a football fan. Said he doesn't watch it at all. I think that was his bitterness talking. He hated losing and knowing he really would never have a chance to win a Super Bowl.

I agree with everyone. Drew reveals that football wasn't as important to him as BB requires, which is not to say he didn't try hard. Drew was a good guy who put up some good seasons. I love the guy. Just because someone (correctly) predicted Brady would be better and is proud to point out her foresight, doesn't mean she's being harsh about Drew.

I'm happy to have rooted for him, even happier that he got some redemption in helping us get to our first Super Bowl, and happier still that Drew is relaxed and enjoying a much-deserved retirement fishing and with family.

Pathetic.........BB knew and thats why "Deadslow" was gonzo. I saw an interview with Curtis Martin bascially saying the same thing. He said he isn't even a football fan. Said he doesn't watch it at all. I think that was his bitterness talking. He hated losing and knowing he really would never have a chance to win a Super Bowl.

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You'd think that Curtis Martin would appreciate the game now that he's out of it. He is fourth on the all time rush list, up there with some elite names (smith, peyton, sanders). Usually if the game treats a player well enough to get them in the hall of fame, they look back fondly.

See, this is the sort of logic I never understood from the Bledsoe-Krishnas. Anyone that dares utter one single negative word about Bledsoe and all of a sudden it's "Law off Drew" and "Don't be so hard on Drew"

The article is a very fair minded and accurate description of Drew Bledsoe. If anything, it is a bit generous as it glosses over some of the things that allegedly took place behind closed doors.

I've always said Bledsoe was a victim of his own incredible talent. He never had to work hard to excel in high school or college. It just all came so naturally for him, so he never developed a good work habit. He could be the most purely talented quarterback ever... but his lack of passion and work ethic stopped him from entering the realm now inhabited by the likes of Montana, Favre, Elway, Aikman and Brady.

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I am not what you call it a "Bledsoe-Krishnas", once Brady started playing, I knew almost immediately he was the Pats QB. I saw right away that Brady was better. All I am saying is why keep harping on Bledsoe. He was not a bum here, he was a good NFL QB, and he made a few Pr Bowls here and help bring the Pats to a SB. He also brought excitement and life back to this team, when there was none. We just suffered through years of being the worse franchise in the sport, and he brought them back.

I also donât think he was as naturally gifted as you think, his arm was a gift from god, and he had a tremendous arm. But he never had great footwork he had a slow release, and he was slow as hell. (Although his biggest flaw was his decision making ability and holding the ball too long) He also was very hard working, its not like he loft through his years, and just relied on his right arm, he was extremely hard working. I never knew him to be a prima donna, he always put in the work.

As I said we all know Drew's flaws we all were frustrated by him when he could not deliver when it counted most. But now that he has retired,, I prefer to appreciate what he did for the Pats, rather than harping on his inadequacies. Also he was a good guy here, and when he left for the Bills he was very classy, he wrote that long letter to the fans in the Globe, I thought that was a cool move to even think about the fans of a team he has left. Most athletes could care less about the fans to begin with, never mind after you leave thanking them for their support.

Even though I was a Brady guy from the second he started for the Pats, and was happy Drew was on the bench, I still think that Drew gets way too much heat from Pats fans. He was a good Patriot, and he worked hard for this team.

See, this is the sort of logic I never understood from the Bledsoe-Krishnas. Anyone that dares utter one single negative word about Bledsoe and all of a sudden it's "Law off Drew" and "Don't be so hard on Drew"

The article is a very fair minded and accurate description of Drew Bledsoe. If anything, it is a bit generous as it glosses over some of the things that allegedly took place behind closed doors.

I've always said Bledsoe was a victim of his own incredible talent. He never had to work hard to excel in high school or college. It just all came so naturally for him, so he never developed a good work habit. He could be the most purely talented quarterback ever... but his lack of passion and work ethic stopped him from entering the realm now inhabited by the likes of Montana, Favre, Elway, Aikman and Brady.

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1.) I played college baseball and loved playing. The best days were still the day after the season was over and the worst was still the day before the first practice. It didn't mean that I didn't love the game. It meant that I knew my summer was over. You can love the game and hate the grind.

2.) Looking for any excuse to attack a quarterback who took the team to a Super Bowl and is the second best quarterback in team history is pathetic.

3.) The problem isn't with the Bledsoe supporters, who've all moved on and are thrilled that Brady was the right choice for this team. The problem is with the Bledsoe bashers/Brady supporters, who've drawn the wrong conclusions from what happened. It's typical, but fans should be more cognizant of the realities of their favorite sport and team.

3.) The problem isn't with the Bledsoe supporters, who've all moved on and are thrilled that Brady was the right choice for this team. The problem is with the Bledsoe bashers/Brady supporters, who've drawn the wrong conclusions from what happened. It's typical, but fans should be more cognizant of the realities of their favorite sport and team.

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Who bashing Drew..? Certainly not I. I called him arguably the most talented QB ever. I just said he didn't have the passion or work ethic to elevate him to the level of Montana, Elway, etc. Even the most ardent Bledsoe supporters will concede that point.

I don't think anyone in this thread (or the writer of the article) has bashed Bledsoe in any way whatsoever, unless you call it "bashing" to speak the truth.

There is no question that the guy I want at QB has to have the highest a passion for the game - and while I doubt that even Tom Brady is all that excited about two-a-days I think we always knew, even as fans, that Drew was a very smart guy for whom football was nowhere near the top priority.

One can't help but wonder what he could have done had there been more love of the game and drive to fully apply his talents... but I have absolutely NO problem - and indeed have a degree of respect - for someone who wants to apply themselves more fully elsewhere...

In Drew's case it always seemed clear to me that his passion was for his family and his foundation work, and that football was secondary. Having him come clean about that now gives me a greater degree of respect for Bledsoe the Man, although it does undermine my respect for Bledsoe the Football player.

Who bashing Drew..? Certainly not I. I called him arguably the most talented QB ever. I just said he didn't have the passion or work ethic to elevate him to the level of Montana, Elway, etc. Even the most ardent Bledsoe supporters will concede that point.

I don't think anyone in this thread (or the writer of the article) has bashed Bledsoe in any way whatsoever, unless you call it "bashing" to speak the truth.

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It's not "truth", first of all.

Second, the article is bashing Bledsoe, and your claim that the article is "Fair minded and accurate" is supportive of such bashing.

Third, Bledsoe is a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback who's strengths were hanging in the pocket and getting the ball in spots nobody else could throw to. These strengths were perfect when the team had a good offensive line and a top flight tight end to use as a safety valve. They are not, however, requirements in the BB style of offense. His weaknesses are his immobility in the pocket, his tendency to hold the ball and look for the big play, and his occasional bad gamble. These are all anathema to the BB style of offense and are really better suited to the 1970's and 1980's style of play. They don't make BB "right", they make the two people a bad fit. Amazingly enough, this quarterback with all these faults was able to get the team to the Super Bowl. I guess it's also Bledsoe's fault that the Patriots' special teams couldn't have stopped Desmond Howard that day even if they'd been shooting at him with machine guns.

Fourth, I love Brady as a quarterback, but it's time for the Bledsoe bashers to be honest. If it had been Bledsoe tossing the picks in the Broncos and Colts games, there would be posts about it made on a daily basis. Brady's gotten a little bit of heat for them, but nothing near what Bledsoe would have taken. As for Brady taking forever and a day to make that throw to Caldwell last season, well.... Bledsoe would have been excoriated 24/7 since then. Brady gets almost a complete pass on this "slow" read.